Archive for July 2011

Happy rainy morning everyone! I’m back. First things first, I am officially employed! 🙂 Yay! I did pass my training, and currently work as a writing consultant for a company in Alabang. WordPress is blocked over there though, that’s why I can’t update my blog during office hours.

Anyway, for the next few weeks, I will be giving my analysis on the different categories for this year’s Emmy Awards. I will be doing all twelve acting categories plus the two series awards only. The rest of my predictions will be revealed the day before the actual Emmys. As a start, here is my in-depth analysis of the Guest Actress category:

This is a pretty disappointing list if you ask me. They probably watched the right shows but nominated the wrong actress (Banks, Fey), or watched a single show and voted for all possible actors (They didn’t nominate Charice? LOL). Cynthia Nixon, Amy Poehler, Megan Mullally, Sherri Shepherd, and Elaine Stritch would have been far worthier contenders. Anyway, Elizabeth Banks grabbed her first nomination this year as a pregnant Avery delaying her giving of birth because she doesn’t want the child to be born in Canada. While baby storylines works in this genre (Jennifer Aniston, Debra Messing), Banks wasn’t dominant enough to pull off a win. Kristin Chenoweth scores a consecutive nomination as April Rhodes, and while I find her first guesting spot on (she was my personal winner last year), this year her material wasn’t even worthy of a nomination. Her musical number, however, is always untouchable. There is probably a memorandum that demands a Tina Fey nomination every year. Her first year was very excellent and deserving of a win, her second was good but Betty White was unstoppable, but her stint this year is bland and not funny. While she was funny in her duet with Maya Rudolph, the rest of the episode was blah. She was funny in the Bravo segment but that’s it, even her Sarah Palin impersonation was mixed this year. Dot Marie-Jones was a nice addition to Glee’s already gigantic cast, and story in Never Been Kissed is touching (no one loves her), and funny (Beiste in a ballerina outfit butchering meat), but she wasn’t the stand out of her episode, and even among her co-guest stars in this category. Emmy queen Cloris Leachman can pull off a win even with no buzz (see Malcolm in the Middle win here in 2006), but this year, she gets good notices as Maw Maw. Her episode which gives us a look on her birthday celebration, is touching and every effective. Gwyneth Paltrow is Glee’s biggest guest star yet, and positive reaction about her Holly Holiday role gained her both critical acclaims as well as a new following. Her episode where she substituted to Will Schuester made an impression not only to the Glee club but to the viewers as well.

In the end, it’s still a Cloris Leachman-Gwyneth Paltrow race. I will never ever underestimate Leachman’s ability to pull an upset, but as much as I won’t throw her chances out of the window, I still predict Paltrow to score a victory in this category. Gwyneth gets to sing, dance, and make a Lindsay Lohan rehab joke in her episode. Plus, it’s one of the most memorable guest spots of the past television season.

There’s always something mysterious and captivating about addiction. At first, it can be harmless. The less harm you think it brings, the opposite it actually does to you. Whether it’s internet usage, alcohol, or pornography, all of them starts with curiosity. That curiosity keeps on growing, and before you know it, you’re already into it. After you realize that, you try so hard, and do every single thing you can to avoid it, until you yourself realize that the mere act of avoiding becomes the new habit.

Last Saturday, we lost one of the most amazing talents we have. Amy Winehouse was found dead and unperceptive in her own apartment. At a very young age of 27, Winehouse already managed to be a legend. To be honest, I already sensed that this day will probably come, but never this early. I guess everyone is aware how much she struggled with her fight against all the demons that have lived inside her. But despite that, there’s still this glimmering sign of hope in me that this is just a phase, and she’ll get over this and fix everything.

Apparently, it was already late. As a fan, I am devastated. From what I’ve known of her, she is a sweet, hardworking girl that was troubled. She needs help, and for some unknown reason, she can’t fight all of these storms that brave her way. It breaks my heart that she was a laughing stock to most people because of her addiction to substance. It’s a shame that she wasn’t given the chance to redeem herself and show others the Amy that her fans learned to love and appreciate.

Whatever made her dependent on substance is something that we’ll never know. It can be depression, it can be pressure, it can be frustration, or it can be fame. But what I did know was that the world should know more of her talents. Her vocals were amazing and unique. Her songwriting skills were some of the rawest, and most honest I have ever heard. She opened the doors not only for British female singers to make a name for themselves in the US, but more than that, she made us embrace her and her music despite her imperfections. If anything, her music is nearly flawless. It’s sad that the world won’t be able to hear new music from her.

It has always been clear to her fans that Amy is not the most good-looking singer out there; nor the sexiest one like every pop star we see nowadays. If anything, she isn’t manufactured like them, but that didn’t stop people from loving her. She has always been transparent, and her songs reflect her personal look in life. She has SOUL. The same can’t be said about any of her contemporaries.

Her album Back to Black made me fell in love with her. I even made a review about it three years ago, and indicated that I hope she gets to fix her personal issues because the world needs more of her talents. I gave the album a spin a while ago, and it never lost any inch of magic that she inserted into the record. I still remember her genuine reaction when it was announced that she won the Grammy for Record of the Year, and how tearful she was when she made her speech. She deserved the recognition fair and square, yet I can’t believe how humble her reaction was.

While it was Back to Black that introduced her to me, it was her underrated album Frank that made me know her more. Adele summed it best when she said that “ i don’t think she ever realised just how brilliant she was and how important she is, but that just makes her even more charming.”

We only get to see a talent like hers once in a blue moon. Though I can’t explain more how much I’d love for her to come back, I still thank Amy for sharing her talents to us. Your music is and will always be remembered. I know that you’re watching us now from heaven, and you don’t want us to be devastated, and if anything, we’ll celebrate your short existence and how you’ll always be an inspiration to all of us.

First, yes I know I’m two weeks late, and by the time you read this, the movie is already out of the theaters. So you can use this small review if you think it’s worthy enough to buy from Manong Dibidi. Anyway, Melai Cantiveros’s having her own Harry Potter curse as her launching movie as a lead star faces Deathly Hallows. If that’s not enough misfortune, the material of her movie is not even passable. I don’t know who she messed up with, but poor woman is put into a very unflattering situation.

Anyway, the movie is okay. Hey, that’s a big compliment already! Hahaha! You wouldn’t miss anything if you haven’t seen it. At the same time, you won’t gain anything if you see it. But, I must commend it simply because I guess people behind the film knew that the material is shallow that even them didn’t take this one seriously. That worked well for the film because you’ll really see yourself laughing, and by the end, you’ll still be laughing because you can’t believe you survived watching it.

Cantiveros was convincing as the lead especially since she was so into the role that she gave her director the permission to play with her. It seemed as if everyone in the cast knew that this is no serious film so they all played their parts lightly, and resulted to a surprisingly passable output. Even though there are times that I feel for Martin del Rosario since he was somewhat exploited with all the unnecessary bath scene and topless shots through the course of the movie. The movie also gave a subtle tribute to the past Redford White and Babalu slapstick films of the yesteryears. All in all, senseless film but miles better than the pretentious Soxie Topacio offering Ded na si Lolo.

Happy weekend everyone! I’ve been pretty busy the past few days that I don’t even have the time to update my blog. Last Thursday, the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards nominations were revealed, and it caused a big ruckus in the internet world. While the nominations were announced by 9AM Manila time, lots of potential nominees’ fans are waiting as early as 2AM. They were already cheering and expecting that their favorites will sweep the nominations once again.

So when the nominations were finally announced, here are the contenders for the much coveted Video of the Year award:

Adele — “Rolling in the Deep”

Beastie Boys — “Make Some Noise”

Bruno Mars — “Grenade”

Katy Perry — “Firework”

Tyler, the Creator — “Yonkers”

So when the expected nominees were left out, fans went rabid mad. Gaga received three noms (Female, Art Direction, and Choreography) while Britney had two (Pop, Choreography). Fans of both artists released their frustrations in two different ways: Britney’s fans edited Wikipedia article of the MTV VMA 2011, and replaced a lot of nominees with Britney’s name. Gaga’s fans attacked Adele (especially her weight) on the other hand. This prompted MTV to release the following statement:

Listen Little Monsters, we know you’re less than thrilled that Lady Gaga didn’t score as many nominations for the 211 MTV Video Music Awards as you may have wanted or expected, but do you think she’d be pleased that you are attacking the appearance of a singer who did score some nods?

It’s less paws up than claws out. It’s also a pretty poor reflection of the message Mother Monster preaches.

After Adele, whose 21 is top-selling album of the year by far, scored an impressive seven VMA nominations, including Video of the Year, Best Female Video and Best Pop Video, and Gaga scored only one major nomination – Best Female Video for “Born This Way” – the pop star’s fans started getting personal on Twitter.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and we totally get not being happy when your favorite artist doesn’t get the love you think they deserve, but Adele’s weight has nothing to do with anything, and insulting it isn’t going to change Lady Gaga’s number of nominations and represents the kind of bullying that Gaga rallies against.

We think Lady Gaga is probably mortified right now – not because she didn’t sweep the VMA nominations, but because of her fans’ reactions. They’re not engaging in any kind of civil debate, they are reaching for the easy insult. It’s the very thing Lady Gaga rails against. She stands in front of stadiums around the world singing, “I’m beautiful in my way, cause God makes no mistakes, I’m on the right track, baby, I was born this way,” and preaches a message of unconditional acceptance.

Except if you are overweight, it seems, then all bets are off.

Grow up, you’re starting to act like real Monsters!

Good job to MTV. For once, you really addressed the issue. This has been bothering non-fans for a long time now. Anyway, here are my reactions for this year:

GOOD

Katy Perry showered with nominations. her videos this Teenage Dream era are really impressive. She deserves to sweep, IMO.

They strayed away from the Eminems, and the Birtneys and the Gagas, who have good videos but nothing worthy to sweep nominations.

Adele getting showered with nominations. yeah she was sitting at the whole course of the video but it wasn’t a lazy video per se.

Best Choreography in a Video is a good category

I’ll repeat it: Britney and Gaga deserve to get nominations only in the categories where they received one.

BAD

Grenade as VOTY? Really, MTV!?!?!

Where the hell is Kanye West’s Runaway video. That should be the video to lead the nominations this year.

Rihanna deserved some love for her individual work. She should have been nominated in Female and Pop.

Where is Best Dance and Best Breakthrough Video? Same goes for Best R&B.

DAY 30: Your Favorite Film This Time Last Year (Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Farris, 2006)

First of all, WHEW! I made it til the 30th day. Hahaha. So this will be my last post for my 30 Day Film Challenge. 🙂

Little Miss Sunshine is the little movie that could. As a matter of fact, it did. It successfully captured the hearts of both the young and the old. The Hoovers, as dysfunctional as they can be, is what defines a family. Whether you all have different perspectives in life, at the end of the day you still belong to a family. Michael Arndt’s very touching and truthful screenplay is one of the high points of the film. Plus, the ensemble as well who all delivered. Standouts were Steve Carell as the gay uncle and Toni Collette as the sane mom.

It was my favorite film this time last year, and still is my favorite film this year. I just think this movie is the perfect way to end this countdown on a high note. 🙂

NEXT UP: 100 DAY FILM CHALLENGE! But I’ll probably think about it first. 🙂

This was an easy choice for me. By this time, I think I only saw two movies: Power Ranger the Movie and this one. And while I’ll always consider myself as Power Ranger Red, this one has left a bigger and longer impact on me. No arguments needed, I literally grew up with this movie franchise. And it never lost its magic even once. 🙂